The Federal Government has continued to evacuate Nigerians trapped in countries around the world as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This comes as a new set of 269 stranded Nigerians arrived in the country from India in the early hours of Saturday.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) announced the arrival of the returnees on its Twitter handle.
According to the agency, 103 of the evacuees arrived in Lagos and 166 others landed in Abuja at about 2am, after a few hours of delay.
Following their arrival, the returnees were subjected to compulsory 14 days self-isolation, in line with the protocol by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The NIDCOM stated that all the evacuees tested negative before boarding the plane and would be re-tested within 72 hours at a designated testing centre of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
They were brought back to Nigeria from India aboard an Air Peace plane which first landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja before proceeding to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission@nidcom_gov · 6h
#COVIDー19:
EVACUATION UPDATE:
269 Stranded Nigerians in India landed in Nigeria (103 in Lagos, 166 in Abuja) today, Saturday 13th June 2020., about 2am, after a few hours of delay.
All Evacuees now on Compulsory 14 days SELF ISOLATION according to the new Protocol…#Thread
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission@nidcom_gov
By the Presidential Task Force on #Covid_19.
All tested negative before boarding and are to be re-tested within 72 hours at an NCDC @NCDCgov designated testing center.@NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG
115:04 AM – Jun 13, 2020 · Federal Capital Territory, NigeriaTwitter Ads info and privacySee Nigerians in Diaspora Commission’s other Tweets
In another tweet, the NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, welcomed the returnees back to the country.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa✔@abikedabiri
We welcome them home . Just spoken to one of them who is in very high spirits. They must present themselves for an @NCDCgov Covid 19 test , 14 day compulsory isolation before their passports are released to them, according to the new guidelines @DigiCommsNG https://twitter.com/nidcom_gov/status/1271774633168158721 …Nigerians in Diaspora Commission@nidcom_gov#COVIDー19:
EVACUATION UPDATE:
269 Stranded Nigerians in India landed in Nigeria (103 in Lagos, 166 in Abuja) today, Saturday 13th June 2020., about 2am, after a few hours of delay.
All Evacuees now on Compulsory 14 days SELF ISOLATION according to the new Protocol…#Thread545:20 AM – Jun 13, 2020 · Abuja, NigeriaTwitter Ads info and privacy25 people are talking about this
The management of Air Peace has also confirmed the airlifting of the evacuees in a statement.